Search Results (289)

Background/Objectives: Despite legal frameworks acknowledging the need to protect the rights of female prisoners, penitentiary systems often neglect gender-specific needs, particularly for foreign women. Among them, Muslim women face distinct challenges linked to cultural and religious practices, which are frequently unmet in prison contexts. This review aims to explore the academic literature on the experiences of Muslim women in detention. Methods: A systematic review was conducted using three major bibliographic databases—Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science—covering the period from 2010 to 2024. Inclusion criteria focused on peer-reviewed studies examining the condition of Muslim women in prison. Of the initial pool, only four articles met the criteria and were included in the final analysis. Results: The review reveals a marked scarcity of research on Muslim women in prison at both national and international levels. This gap may be due to their limited representation or cultural factors that hinder open discourse. The selected studies highlight key issues, including restricted access to services, limited ability to practice religion, and language and cultural barriers. These challenges contribute to increased psychological vulnerability, which is often underestimated in prison settings. Conclusions: There is an urgent need for targeted research and culturally competent training for prison staff to adequately support Muslim women in detention. Greater academic and institutional attention is essential to develop inclusive policies that consider the intersection of gender, religion, and migration, particularly in the post-release reintegration process. Full article

Based on ethnographic data collected in Germany, this article compares ultra-conservative Salafi and progressive, LGBTQI-plus Muslim movements and examines their negotiation of religious identity and practice within and in contrast to ‘mainstream Islam’ (e.g., DİTİB). While on the surface these movements appear to be on the fringes of Islam and clearly opposed to each other, a closer look reveals interesting moments of convergence and publicly gained prominence. In doing so, this article explores the actor biography issues that drive affiliation, including negative experiences with mainstream mosques and the search for authentic expression and roots. It analyses the politics of labelling (e.g., ‘Salafi’, ‘liberal’), and how these groups define their target audiences in relation to the perceived mainstream. It examines the negotiation of cultural diversity and Islamic ‘purity’, contrasting Salafi reform with progressive interpretations. Finally, it examines strategies for challenging mainstream institutions. By comparing these groups, the article offers a nuanced insight into Islamic practices at the margins. It sheds light on the various strategies employed to discredit mainstream Islamic institutions, ranging from theological differences to power struggles within the contested religious field. Full article

This study examines the complex process of Islam’s localization in Sudan, focusing on how hospitality, Sufi dhikr, and Mawlid celebrations integrate with Islamic practices. Drawing on three years of qualitative fieldwork, it demonstrates how Sudan’s geography, ethnic diversity, and historical heritage enable the blending of core religious principles with local customs. Sufi brotherhoods—particularly Qādiriyya, Tījāniyya, Shādhiliyya, and Khatmiyya—play a pivotal role in local culture by incorporating traditional musical, choreographic, and narrative art forms into their rituals, resulting in highly dynamic worship and social interaction. In Sudan, hospitality emerges as a near-sovereign social norm, reflecting the Islamic ethics of charity and mutual assistance while remaining deeply intertwined with local traditions. Islam’s adaptability toward local customs is further illustrated by the vibrant drumming, chanting, and dancing that enhance large-scale Mawlid al-Nabi celebrations, uniting Muslims under a religious identity that goes beyond dogmatic definitions. Beyond their spiritual meanings, these Sufi practices and networks also serve as tools for social cohesion, often functioning as support systems in regions with minimal state presence. They help prevent disputes and foster unity, demonstrating the positive impact of a flexible Islam—one that draws on both scripture and local traditions—on peacebuilding in Sudan. While highlighting the country’s social realities, this study offers insights into how Islam can function as a transformative force within society. Full article

This study was carried out to determine if macro-level factors (namely, demographic and ecological factors) influence self-perceived social distance and actual social practice with individuals of different faith communities among tertiary students in Australian universities. The response drew several critical revelations, including 2 key findings: 1. Muslim and non-Muslim respondents largely befriend individuals of similar faith backgrounds, although non-Muslims were far more likely to be indifferent towards the religious beliefs of their immediate social circle. 2. Respondents with highly religious social circles reported a clear preference against befriending individuals of different faiths. Muslims were mainly reluctant to befriend non-Muslims, whereas non-Muslims were slightly less apprehensive. The findings presented in this study demonstrate the complexity and dynamism of intergroup contact, traditionally termed social distance, that has distinct implications for social integration. Whereas negative attitudes provide insight into the affective evaluation of a particular group, measures of social distance directly assess the impact of contact on the structural integration of groups. Given its inherently relational focus, this is an important direction for work on intergroup contact. Full article

Aim: This study aimed to explore the attitudes of family caregivers toward truth-telling practices in palliative care in Türkiye, a Muslim-majority context where disclosure is often mediated by relatives. Methods: Using a convergent parallel mixed-methods design, data were collected from 100 unpaid family caregivers of terminally ill patients at a palliative care unit. Quantitative data were gathered via a structured questionnaire, and qualitative data through in-depth interviews with a purposively selected subsample of 10 participants. Chi-square tests were used to analyze associations, and p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age of caregivers was 47.4 ± 16.5 years, 67% were female. Notably, 67% of participants did not prefer that the patient be informed of irreversible deterioration, while 71% stated they would want to be informed if they were in the patient’s position (p < 0.05). Most preferred a multidisciplinary disclosure process involving physicians, psychologists, and spiritual counselors. Qualitative analysis revealed four themes: emotional conflict, protective family-centered decision-making, spiritual readiness for death, and preference for multidisciplinary communication approach. The participants expressed cultural concerns about psychological harm to the patient and emphasized the family’s role as emotional guardians. Conclusions: The findings highlight a gap between caregivers’ attitudes when acting as family members versus imagining themselves as patients. These results underscore the critical need for culturally sensitive and family-inclusive communication strategies in palliative care settings. Full article

The Tunisian uprisings projected an elusive surrealistic scene that was an aberration in a part of the world where Islamic ideology had been considered the only rallying force and a midwife for regime change. However, this sense of exceptionalism was short-lived, as the religiously zealous Islamist expats and their militant executive wings infiltrated the power vacuum to resume their suspended Islamization project of the 1980s. Brandishing electoral “legitimacy”, they attempted to reframe the bourgeoning indigenous democratization project, rooted in an evolving Tunisian intellectual and cultural heritage, along the neocolonial ideological underpinnings of the “Arab Spring” metanarrative, which proffers the thesis that democracy can be promoted in the Muslim world through so-called “Moderate Muslims”. This paper challenges this dominant narrative by offering a counter-narrative about the political transition in Tunisia. It takes stock of the multidisciplinary conceptual and analytical frameworks elaborated upon in postcolonial theory, social movement theory, cognitive neuroscience theories, and digital communication theories. It draws heavily on socio-narrative translation theory. The corpus analyzed in this work consists of disparate yet corroborating narratives cutting across modes, genres, and cultural and linguistic boundaries, and is grounded in insider participant observation. This work opens an alternative inquiry into how the processes of cross-cultural knowledge production and the power dynamics they sustain have helped shape the course of the transition since 2011. Full article

In Turkish literature, hajj travelogues have been written since the 13th century, conveying Muslims’ experiences during the pilgrimage and explaining how to perform hajj. With the development and widespread use of the modern means of transportation in Türkiye from the 1940s onward, the pilgrims increasingly started to travel by air to avoid the hardships and duration of long journeys. However, this shift led to a decrease in visits to historical places along the traditional pilgrimage route from Türkiye to Mecca and Medina, consequently changing the content and nature of Hajj narratives. In spite of these changes, Mehmet Barut, a mufti (cleric), offered a unique response through his travelogue Hicaz Yolları [Hijaz Roads], which can be seen as a reaction to the rise in modern means of transportation. In 1965, Barut began his hajj journey from Tokat, within the border of the Republic of Türkiye, and travelled to Mecca and Medina by bus. Along the way, he visited Ankara, Konya, Tarsus, Iskenderun, Reyhanlı, Aleppo, Damascus, Jerusalem, Halilurrahman, Amman, Tabuk, Khaybar, and Medina before finally reaching Mecca. Barut’s travelogue is a contemporary non-fiction work, yet it was written in classical Turkish. In choosing to follow the historical pilgrimage route—established during the Ottoman period and beginning in Anatolia—Barut sought to revive and preserve the spiritual and cultural destinations and hajj journeys. His travelogue not only demonstrates his own travel experiences, but also reflects examples from the travelogue menazil-i hajj, offering insights into the historical significance of the cities and stopovers along the route. This study examines Hicaz Yolları from two key perspectives. First, it compares Barut’s chosen route with the historical Ottoman hajj route, highlighting key service areas and stopovers. Second, it explores the literary value of Barut’s work and its significance in contemporary Turkish literature. Ultimately, this study reveals that Barut’s travelogue not only kept the memory of traditional hajj pilgrimages alive, but also revived a fading tradition in an era dominated by modern means of transportation. Full article

This article analyses the spread of unbelief among conservative Egyptian and Syrian Muslims in the post-Arab Spring period. In this period, social media gave an unprecedented visibility to transgressive expressions of fiducial doubt, creating the impression of a ‘wave of atheism’ within the conservative milieu. Based on original sources and interviews, the article argues that what the participants called ‘atheism’ (ilḥād) must not be read from the perspective of preconceived notions of atheism, but examined inductively as an emergent phenomenon of nonreligion in a specific social context, the conservative Muslim and Islamist milieu. Its appearance can be traced to a multifaceted overlay of different developments and factors, including cultural and media globalisation, the unsettling social effects of the Arab Spring, and the severe doubts and disappointments suffered by sympathisers of political Islam in the post-2013 period. It is conceivable that a significant number of people defected from conservative Islam to other shapes of religion and nonreligion, but their personal trajectories await further research. More manifestly, the crisis provided an opportunity for a new generation of conservative religious guides and thinkers who have been leading an updating of religious socialisation and propagation methods among conservative Muslims. Full article

While digital religion and digital protest can ideally serve the common good, religious nationalist and fundamentalist movements have exploited these tools to disrupt the social fabric and create dangerous political outcomes. This paper examines how religious communicators within Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and Alternative for Germany (AfD) perceive and enact their responsibility within digital spaces, leveraging the power of “networked communities” and the collective identity of the digital “crowd” to advance their agendas of religious fundamentalism and political conservatism. Bypassing traditional media, groups like the AfD and TLP exploit digital religion to build communities, spread propaganda that merges religion with national identity, frame political issues as religious mandates, and mobilize collective action. Campbell’s concept of the “networked community” demonstrates how digital technologies form decentralized, fluid, and global religious communities, distinct from traditional, geographically bound ones. Both the TLP and AfD have tapped into this new digital religious space, shaping and mobilizing political and religious identities across virtual borders. Gerbaudo’s idea of the “digital crowd” complements this by examining how collective action in the digital age reshapes mass mobilization, with social media transforming how political movements operate in the 21st century. Although the AfD’s platform is not overtly religious, the party strategically invokes ethno-Christian identity, framing opposition to Islam and Muslim immigration as a defense of German cultural and Christian values. Similarly, the TLP promotes religious nationalism by advocating for Pakistan’s Islamic identity against secularism and liberalism and calling for strict enforcement of blasphemy laws. Recognizing digital spaces as tools co-opted by religious nationalist movements, this paper explores how communicators in these movements understand their responsibility for the social and long term consequences of their messages. Using Luhmann’s systems theory—where communication is central to social systems—this paper analyzes how the TLP and AfD leverage individuals’ need for purpose and belonging to mobilize them digitally. By crafting emotionally charged experiences, these movements extend their influence beyond virtual spaces and into the broader public sphere. Finally, this paper will reflect on the theological implications of these dynamics both on and offline. How do religious communicators in digital spaces reconcile their theological frameworks with the social impact of their communication? Can digital religious communities be harnessed to foster social cohesion and inclusivity instead of exacerbating social divisions? Through this lens, the paper seeks to deepen our understanding of the intersection between digital religion, political mobilization, and theological responsibility in the digital age. Full article

Rome, historically regarded as a monumental center of Catholic Christendom, now stands as a multi-layered environment shaped by diverse religious communities whose overlapping architectures, rites, and narratives expand the city’s cultural memory. This article employs Warburg’s Mnemosyne methodology to investigate how symbolic motifs, architectural forms, and intangible practices—from Eastern Orthodox iconography to the Great Mosque of Rome’s transnational design—migrate, adapt, and reconfigure within Rome’s urban fabric. Drawing on interdisciplinary approaches from cultural memory studies, religious studies, and urban geography, it reveals how minority communities—Jewish, Muslim, Orthodox Christian, Protestant, Methodist, and Scientology—act as “memory agents”, negotiating visibility and introducing new heritage layers that challenge monolithic perceptions of Rome’s identity. The analysis underscores that intangible heritage, such as chanting, prayer, and interfaith festivals, is equally central to understanding how collective memory is produced and transmitted. Tensions arise when key stakeholders do not validate these emerging cultural forms or question their “authenticity”, reflecting the contested nature of heritage-making. Ultimately, Rome’s religious plurality, shaped by migration and historical transformations, emerges as a dynamic memoryscape. By recognizing the vital role of minority faiths in heritage-making, this study contributes to broader debates on cultural pluralism, super-diversity, and the evolving definitions of religious and cultural heritage in contemporary global cities. Full article

From public images of Islam to everyday Muslim practice. As the current debates on “Islam” and “Muslims” in Europe illustrate, social conflicts related to religious issues seem to attract public attention and become politicised relatively quickly. As European societies develop into a place of cultural and religious diversity in the context of global opening processes, voices are increasingly raised that propagate religious homogeneity in Europe and see the presence of Muslims almost exclusively as a problem. On the one hand, such homogenising interpretations are made visible, and it is shown how a decidedly negative image of Islam has emerged and how such rigid categorisations lead to the decontextualisation of religious affiliations and practices, which has a significant influence on the life constructions and positioning practices of those affected. On the other hand, biographical examples are used to illustrate how negative attributions to Islam and its adherents are perceived by subsequent generations, how they react to them, how they position themselves in the debate, and what strategies result from this to deal with them. The focus is on the experiences of those affected, i.e., the “knowledge of the people”, as a counterpoint to a “hegemonic knowledge” of Islam and Muslims. Full article

Islamic ornamentation is important to mosque architecture, reflecting Islamic culture’s rich traditions and artistry. In contemporary European mosques, the challenge lies in combining these traditional styles with modern architectural designs, creating spaces that honor heritage and foster inclusivity among varied Muslim communities. These challenges impact mosque design’s cultural, esthetic, and functional dimensions, essential for sustaining Islamic identity. To explore how these factors influence cultural architectural expressions, this study examines ornamentation in four contemporary European mosques: Cologne Central Mosque (Germany), Cambridge Central Mosque (United Kingdom), Al-Ándalus Mosque (Spain), and Rijeka Mosque (Croatia). It evaluates their impact on cultural heritage, esthetic appeal, functionality, and Islamic identity within the context of modern architectural styles through a comparative analysis. The results demonstrate adaptations to local contexts and modern trends. Al-Ándalus Mosque reveals a strong identity by preserving traditional heritage, while Cologne and Cambridge Mosques balance tradition and modernity. Rijeka Mosque, heavily influenced by minimalism, reduces cultural richness despite a contemporary approach. Modern innovations like sustainable materials enhance functionality but sometimes dilute Islamic identity. The study concludes that integrating traditional elements with modern esthetics and functionality is essential to aligning mosque design with contemporary styles, while preserving Islamic identity and fostering a sense of belonging within Muslim communities in Europe. Full article

Background: Exclusive breastfeeding (EB), feeding an infant solely breast milk, has been recommended worldwide due to its health benefits for infants and mothers. However, EB rates remain low, due to several socio-demographic, occupational, and cultural factors. Objectives: Our aim was to investigate the factors associated with EB amongst Arab mothers living in Israel, i.e., age, education, religiosity, employment status, and the number of children which impact breastfeeding practices. Methods: Data were collected through surveys from Arab mothers of different religious and geographical backgrounds. Results: The findings revealed that older maternal age, higher levels of religiosity, and an increased number of children were positively associated with EB. Employment reduced EB. Muslim mothers were more likely to combine breastfeeding with formula; Christian and Druze mothers showed higher EB rates. Geographical disparities were also noted. Conclusions: This study highlights the complex interplay of socio-demographic and cultural factors that impact breastfeeding practices amongst Arab mothers in Israel, with significant implications for policy development and maternal support programs. We underscore the importance of incorporating religious and cultural considerations into breastfeeding promotion strategies. Public health initiatives should target support for working mothers by advocating extended maternity leave and breastfeeding-friendly workplace policies. Furthermore, community-based interventions should engage family members in supporting breastfeeding mothers. Full article

This scoping review investigates the labor market challenges and coping strategies of highly skilled second-generation immigrants in Europe who, despite their educational and professional accomplishments, face persistent barriers related to ethnic, cultural, and religious identities. Synthesizing existing literature, the review examines obstacles to the economic integration of highly educated children of immigrants, highlighting both their perceptions of these barriers and the adaptive strategies they employ. A systematic search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science, and EBSCOhost to identify studies published between 2010 and 2024. The selection process followed a structured five-stage framework, including defining research questions, identifying and selecting relevant studies, charting the data, and synthesizing findings. A total of 1192 records were initially identified, with 1022 retained after duplicate removal. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, 68 studies were included in the review. Findings indicate that hiring discrimination, occupational segregation, and exclusion from elite professional networks remain key barriers, particularly for those of Muslim background. Despite achieving professional success, many continue to encounter symbolic boundaries that limit career advancement. In response, second-generation professionals adopt various coping strategies, including ethnic niche formation, entrepreneurship, and transnational mobility, to navigate labor market disadvantages. Challenging traditional assimilation narratives, findings reveal that professional success does not guarantee societal acceptance, as ethnic and cultural identities continue to pose significant barriers. The review concludes by identifying key research gaps, advocating for further exploration of organizational practices that perpetuate ethnic inequalities within high-skill professions, and examining transnational mobility as a coping strategy for second-generation elites. Future research should explore how gender and ethnicity intersect to shape career trajectories for second-generation women. Additionally, expanding research beyond the predominant focus on Muslim professionals to include other religious and ethnic groups would provide a more comprehensive understanding of how identity markers influence labor market outcomes. Finally, as demographic shifts reshape European labor markets, comparative studies should assess how different institutional and cultural frameworks influence patterns of inclusion and exclusion for highly skilled second-generation professionals. Full article

The participation of Muslim women in the Israeli labor force is very low and stems from them being part of a traditional patriarchal society where women (especially religious ones) are still expected to be homemakers. Additionally, previous governmental policy decisions hindered a wide integration of Muslim women into the labor market. This study examined the centrality of life domains for Muslim women according to their religiosity degree. A questionnaire concerning the relative centrality of work, family, community, religion, and leisure was distributed among 219 Muslim working women. The findings show that work was more central for traditional women compared to secular and religious ones, but secular women ranked the centrality of family first and work second, similarly to the ranking in various Western countries. By contrast, traditional and religious women ranked work first and family second. Additionally, secular women ranked the centrality of leisure and community higher than traditional and religious women. The Israeli case is relevant in this regard because, similar to other Western countries, most Muslims in Israel form a distinct ethnic group, characterized by lower socioeconomic status and subject to political marginalization. The results have both theoretical and practical significance. Full article